Excerpt: Civil Twilight

Kara stared at the newspaper, two people had been found murdered at the Gettysburg Park. The police were investigating and there was nothing listed of how they had died. She frowned as she watched the evening twilight fighting to hold off the evening.
"Mistress, the news is distressing today?" James asked as she watched her. The memory of her both her kisses were still fresh in his mind.
"Yes, they found two people murdered, they haven't released their names or the manner of their death, which is unusual for the news they love to build the sensational."
"Where were they found?" James questioned.
"Gettysburg." Her tone was dark.
"The killer could be from here." James suggested. "They do say many killers keep their radius close to areas they know and feel comfortable in."
"Is that what you believe or is that what you have picked up from your crime shows?"
"A mixture," James smiled. "What will you do now?"
"First I need to see these bodies; something isn't right about this James."
"Do you think this has been done to lure you out of hiding?"
"What makes you say that James?" Kara looked at him her eyes curious. "Just because these two bodies were found at The Gettysburg Park Memorial?"
"Perhaps, but if you wanted to draw out a dog hunter would you not set dogs out to lure him out?"
"Perhaps." Kara sat back and read the newspaper again. "And I admit to kill or to dump bodies at a gravesite is gruesome. The dead have enough problems, they don’t need more."
"What problems do the dead have Mistress?"
"Depends on your religious point of views James, depends on your religious point of views." She rose to her feet and walked over to the window. "It's taking a long time for night to come."
"You are anxious for the freedom it gives you?"
"I'm anxious for the day to be gone. I've had enough sunlight these past two days."
"You were attacked then last night?" James pressed.
"I did not say that."
"But I found you …"
"You found me in pain that is all James; I had miscalculated my last feeding that is all. This place is emotional for me, and I should have been better prepared."
"As you say." James stated simply. "Will you need me to bring the car around to the front or will you be traveling through the shadows?"
"I think the shadows James, I can move undetected and if I'm going to break into the corner's office, I think I should be as careful as possible."
"Yes, then I will wait for you here."
"Yes, and do not let anyone in. I have wards set up that should keep you safe,"
"I am worried about your safety not mine."
Kara stood facing the window wondering why nightfall was taking so long to come. When the darkness finally fell she moved to the shadows allowing the dark to take her where she needed to go. The sounds of the night were all around her, police sirens and the normal sounds of traffic echoed around her. Searching the night she moved from the patches of darkness moving toward the coroner's office. She normally didn't bother the local police nor did she get involved with the local crimes of the states she visited. But this time she felt as if it was what she was suppose to do, especially after her visit last night.
Slipping into the morgue Kara stood still listening for sounds of someone being present. All she was met with was the sterile smell of ammonia. Once she was assured she was alone she moved to look over the records that were held of the day's activities. Cursing silently under her breath as she realized what she was looking for was on the computer system she turned her attention to the meat lockers as they were called.
'Fine, if I can't find the information one way then I'll find it the other way.' She told herself. Luckily there were few lockers here than in the most morgues. Opening each one she searched for the two bodies that had been brought in earlier. Almost giving up hope she opened the next to last and found the body of a young woman. There was bruising around the neck as well as the wrists which told her that she had been bound. Moving the neck back and forth Kara let out a breath at the missing bite marks she had thought she would find.
//Look lower, you're not done yet my pet// the voice echoed in her head.
"Am I dead?" a voice questioned.
Kara turned to see the woman standing next to her. "Yes, do you remember how you died?"
"No, I don’t, how did I die?"
"I don't have a clue; did you hear anything when they performed the autopsy?"
"They cut me?" the shrill voice made Kara wince and she cursed her fate at hearing the dead at times.
"OF course they cut you." She growled as she lifted the arms and studied the wrists. "Who was with you when you died, did you have a friend?"
"No, it was just me and him." The dead woman stated. "There was someone with me?"
Kara didn't answer and only gave a prayer of thanks that the other dead body was silent, she was in no mood for a second ghost to speak to. Turning the body over she ran her hand over the back and over the hips nothing out of the ordinary so far, she stopped when her hand ran just under the hip where the leg joined the body, indentations. Cursing she turned the body a bit more and looked at the location where her hand stopped.
"What's wrong?" the ghost questioned. "Don't touch my ass that way are you queer?"
"NO," Kara hissed. "I'm dead. Now shut up." There was the evidence she needed, "You were bit."
"By what?" the ghost questioned confused.
"From the looks of the mark I would say a vampire."
"Oh besides being queer you're crazy, there are no such things as vampires."
Kara turned to face her fangs extended. "Really?" she questioned. The sudden disappearance of the ghost made Kara chuckle, "A fainting ghost, by the Gods."